Magazine for multigraph machines or the like



April 24, 1951 MONK 2,550,160

MAGAZINE FOR MULTIGRAPH MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed May 1, 1948 [rm e nfor Frederick [Yo/1k Patented Apr. 24, 1951 MAGAZINE FoR MULTIGRAPHMACHINES on THE LIKE Frederick Arthur Monk, Scarboro Post Office, I l

- Ontario, Canada 7 Application May 1, 1948, Serial No. 24,563

This invention relates to an envelope magazine for facilitating the feedof envelopes or the like in a printing machine'such as multigraphmachine or the like and the principal object of the invention is toprovide an envelope magazine which can be easily and quickly loaded-andinsorted into a multigraph machine and when emptied can be quicklyreplaced with a loaded magazine eliminating delays in machine operation,thus greatly increasing the capacity of the machine and reducing thecost of printing the envelopes.

A further and important object is to provide an envelope magazineassembly which can be readily adjusted to receive any desired size ofenvelope and will hold the envelope in stacked. arrangement with theirsurfaces horizontal independent of the thickness of their flaps toensure uniform dependable feed into the machine.

A still further object is to provide a magazine which will ensure thatthe last envelope is delivered into the machine for printing.

' vertically spaced brackets secured to and extending forwardly fromsaid backing plates and subdividing the stacked envelopes into aplurality of component stacks, the brackets being tiltable transverselyof the backing plate to compensate for the thickness of envelope flap tomaintain the envelopes in the stack horizontal.

A further important feature consists in securing a plate to the base ofthe backing plate and providing a spring arm on the outer end of thisplate to urge the outer end of the envelopes upwardly, said plate beingadjustable longitudinally of the backing plate base.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective Viewof a multigraph machine illustrating the manner in which my envelopemagazine assembly is utilized in conjunction therewith.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of my magazine assembly.

' Figure 3 is'a side elevational view of the-bottom portion of themagazine assembly.

9 Claims. (01. 271-6l) Figure 4 is a plan view of my magazine with thetop flange cut away.

Heretofore in printing envelopes or the like with a multigraph or otherprinting machine, ithasbeen necessary to place the envelopes by hand onthe paper feed magazine and to carefully align the envelopes in avertical stack. To compensate for the low side of the envelope stackalong the edge of the envelope opposite the flap it has been necessaryto utilize wooden wedges which are inserted at intervals in the stack.These wedges have to be changed or inserted at different intervalscorresponding to the thickness of the material of the particularenvelopes being printed. Even with the utmost care in stacking theenvelopes it is difficult to maintain the stack in alignment and theenvelopes level or horizontal throughout the movement of the magazineresulting in inconsistent printing, and waste of a high percentage ofenvelopes. Frequently envelopes slide off the stack further delaying theenvelope feed.

The present invention has therefore been devised toovercome the abovedifiiculties and to eliminate the previous long interruptions of machineoperation which were required for the careful stacking of the envelopeson the feed magazine.

With reference to the accompanying drawings it will be seen that Iillustrate my magazine in conjunction with a conventional type ofmultigraph machine I having a vertically moving feed magazine 2 and theconventional paper pick-up mechanism 3 including the sucker foot l whichserves to lift the top sheet from the stack placed on the feed magazineand to direct it between the pull out rollers.

Extending outwardly from the machine above the feed magazine are thespaced parallel arms Sand 6 which support a cross bar I which isslidable along the arms 5 and 6 and carried the adjustable central guide8 and adjustable side guides 9.

In the normal use of the multigraph machine with paper, the paper isstacked on the feed magazine 2 with the magazine lowered so that the topsheet is just below the paper pick-up mechanism.

As the top sheet is being segregated from the stack and delivered intothe machine by the paper pick-up mechanism, the feed magazine 2 movesupwardly automatically maintaining the top sheet in the correct positionrelative to the pick-up mechanism.

The various guides described above engage the 3 stack and maintain thesheets being delivered into the machine in correct alignment.

My envelope magazine is adapted to be used in connection with themultigraph machine without necessitating any modifications oralterations thereto.

As illustrated, the magazine includes a sheet metal backing plate Iwhich is supported in a vertical position by a forwardly turned baseportion H and has a forwardly turned flange I2 at the top.

Secured to this backing plate In along the ver-- tical centre linethereof are vertically spaced brackets l3 each of which includes thevertical backing portion l4 pivotally held to the back plate by the boltE5 or other suitable-pivotmemibers and the horizontal triangular shelfportion 7 I6 which projects centrally from. the backportion Illincreasing in length forwardly of the backing portion. Thus it will beseen that the brackets l3 are tiltable about the pivots or bolts l5 andthe triangular" shelf portions l3 which are arranged with one apexadjacent the backing portions are tiltable above the; horizontaltransversely of the backing plate Ill.

If desirable the shelves [6: may also be in clined slightly upward asillustrated in Figure 3.

Asillustrated in Figure 2 the: brackets lS'Which are in verticalalignment are equally spaced to receive a convenient number of envelopesthere'- between, for instance, an even multiple of a hun dred. Securedtothe backing plate if) over thevertical bracket backing portion M are apair of vertical rightangle plates ll forming side guides spaced oneeither side of the bracket shelf portion l6;

These plates IT are heldto the backing plate by bolts [8 engaging in thehorizontal slots 19 so that the plates ll areadjustable laterallytowards or away from each other.

Slidably mounted onthe'base portion l i of the backing plate is a plate20 having a. longitudi-- nal slot M in which engages a securing bolt 22.This slot arrangement permits the plateZD to be moved relative to thebacking plate It! corresponding to the; leng h of the envelope to'beprinted. V

Secured to the underside of the plate 20 at the outer end is a bar 23,while secured to the top of the plate 20 atthe outer end-is a cantileverspring arm 24- Which is adjustable transverselyof the plate.

In loading the magazines the envelopes are stacked between the verticalaligning plates I? which are adjusted laterally to the Width'of theenvelope and the brackets !3- are tilted transversely of the backingplate to'compensate'for the thickness of the envelope flaps tomaintainthe envelopes level or horizontal. The bolts it may then be tightened tosecurely-lockthe brackets IS in adjusted positions by drawing the platesH in to close engagementtherewith.

The envelopes are thus held in vertical align ment by the aligningplates or guides I! and aremaintained with-their surfaces-horizontal bythe use of the brackets. l3 and thecantilever springs 4 are adapted toengage the cross bar I as the magazine is fed upwardly, thus as the feedmagazine 2 moves upwardly the envelope magazine will be properly guidedand will in turn maintain the envelopes in proper alignment so that eachenvelope may be correctly picked up and delivered into the machine bythe paper pick-up mechanism 3.

Withthe surface of the envelopmaintained level or: horizontal the feedmechanism will function correctly and the air lock of the sucker foot 4.will be properly maintained.

While one magazine is employed with the multigraph machine, a similarenvelope magazine may be rapidly and easily loaded and following thecompletion of the delivery of all of the envelopes in the first magazineinto the machine it canbe quickly removed from the machine feed magazine2 and the loaded envelope magazine placed thereon in correct positionbetween the guides. Thus there will be no interruption or delayin themachine opera-tionmaterially increasing its capacity.

If it is desired to print envelopes of different size or toprint on thereverse side of the envelope the guide plates I? can be quicklyadjusted, the bottom. plate 28- moved to' its correct surface fortheenvelopes is provided yet a Wide range of lateral adjustmentfor thevertical guide plates I1 is also permitted. Further;.it will be seenthat with therplates: IT engaging-over the vertical bracket portions M awedging'action is obtained upon thejlockihg. of the plates l 'Ito alsolook the brackets in any desired position ofv tilt. Since noalterations-or modifications are required to be carried out on. themultigraph machine I, it. will-be seen that my envelope'magazine-can beconveniently used with existing machines and quickly and easily insertedin place and interchanged when required. It will therefore be understoodthat theuse of my envelope magazine will greatly increasethecapacity ofamultigraph or printing machine and materially decrease the time and costin the. printing 0f envelopes.

Whilel have show-n.-my"magazine= as used in conjunction with one: formof multigraph machine; it will be-appreciatedzthat its usemay be readilyadapted toother formsofprinting machines without departing from thescope of my invention.

While I have particularly described my magazine. for usein printingenvelopes, it will be readily appreciated that it may be advantageouslyused in printing other materialof anon-uniformthickness.throughout-where the material would not form withoutmymagazine a horizontal stack.

For example. my magazine has been foundto be extremely useful andadvantageous in the printing. of greeting cardsand the like carryingembosseddesigns o raisedpatternsand. in the. printing of bags and othermaterial of varying thickness.

It will be understood of course that-any slight modifications required.to. accommodate other types of material may be made without departingfrom the scope of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A magazine for a multigraph machine or the like comprising a verticalbacking plate, aligning means extending forwardly of said backing plate,and a plurality of vertically spaced platforms extending forwardly ofsaid backing plate between said aligning means and inclined transverselyof said backing plate to support in substantially level position a stackof material of non-uniform thickness held between said aligning means.

2. A magazine for a multigraph machine or the like, comprising avertical backing plate, aligning means extending forwardly of saidbacking plate, and a plurality of vertically spaced platforms extendingforwardly of said backing plate between said aligning means and tiltabletransversely of said backing plate to adjusted positions to support insubstantially level position a stack of material of non-uniformthickness held between said aligning means.

3. A magazine for a printing machine comprising a vertical backing platehaving a forwardly extending supporting base, a j'pair of spacedvertical right angled plates secured to said backing plate and extendingforwardly thereof and adjustable laterally to receive and aligndifferent width stacks of material of non-uniform thicknesstherebetween, and a plurality of vertically spaced supporting bracketssecured between said right angled plates to said backing plate andtiltable transversely thereof to adjusted positions to support thestacks of material of non-uniform thickness in substantially levelposition.

4. An envelope magazine for a multigraph machine or the like comprisinga vertical backing plate having a forwardly extending base, a pluralityof vertically spaced brackets pivoted centrally to said backing plateand extending forwardly therefrom and adjustably tiltable transverselyof, said backing plate about said pivots, and a pair of vertical spacedright angled plates secured to said backing plate and adjustabletransversely thereof.

5. An envelope magazine as claimed in claim 4 in which said base isprovided with an extensible portion, and a spring arm is arranged at theouter end of said extensible portion.

6. An envelope magazine as claimed in claim 4 in which a plate isslidably supported on said base and is adjustable towards and from saidbacking plate and a transverse cantilever spring arm is arranged at theend of said slidable plate, said spring arm being adjustabletransversely of said slidable plate.

7. An envelope magazine for multigraph machines or the like comprising avertical backing plate having a forwardly extending supporting base, aplurality of vertically spaced brackets extending forwardly of saidbacking plate, each of said brackets having a longitudinal verticalportion pivoted centrally to said backing plate and an outwardlyextending portion at right angles to said vertical portion forming ashelf projecting centrally from the vertical portion, and a pair ofspaced vertical envelope aligning plates each formed of a leg parallelsaid backing plate and a leg perpendicular said backing plate, meanssecuring said legs parallel to said backing plate to said backing platefor lateral adjustment of said envelope aligning plates and in positionto clamp said vertical bracket portions, said legs perpendicular saidbacking plate forming sides for said shelves.

8. A magazine as claimed in claim 7 in which said brackets are uniformlyspaced.

9. A magazine as claimed in claim '7 in which bearer bars are secured tothe back of the vertical backing plate.

FREDERICK ARTHUR MONK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson May 21, 1929

